The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-04-02
SNOW-SHOE TRAMPING.
A Healthy Sort of Exercise for Persons who
Are Not in Hurry.

| Are Not in a Hurry.
The snow-shoe has come to STAY.
have a pair of them in my closet now
that will stay there until get a chance
to sell them. They cost me four dol
lars and fifty cents, and I am in receipt
of just about twenty cents worth of
fun from them in three seasons. To
be sure, that isn't the snow-shoes'
fault. Last year we had six inches of
snow, and the year before we didn't
have any-to speak of. Next year, |
think, we shall have some along in
March-perhaps enough to start the
maple sap running.
took my first tramp on snow-shoes
when there were six inches of snow on
the ground. That was last wintet L
tramped down to the end of the garden,
and was transported with delight |
had no idea snow-shoeing was SO easy.
Before | started back, being somewhat
out of breath and little lame in the
calves, took off the snow-shocS and
carried them on my shoulder. If was
delighted at first, Twas enraptured then.
| never realized before how easy walk
ing was.
l have experimental somewhat with
snow-shoes, and find that the best places
to use them are on the solid ice, and in
the middle of the road. | once belonged
to our town snow-shoe club When the
boys used to start out for a tramp, they
always walked in the hollow beside the
road, rather than climb fences. One
moonlight night | noticed it was pretty
smooth and nice up in the road, so got
np.there. was surprised to find what
an improvement it was, and l called all
the fellows up. We walked for quite
distance there, and finally, | took my
snow-shoes of, and discovered that it
was great relief. | walked along
comfortably in my moccasins, and got
about two miles ahead of the club.
Then | sat down to wait. When the
boys came up, they challenged me to a
race across the fields home. | said:
"All right Wait until I leave my
snow-shoes in this barn" | then got
over the fence and ran through the
snow, reaching home about an hour
and-a-quarter ahead of the club. The
next day said: Boys, must resign,
unless you will let me join your tramps
without the formality of snow-shoes
They wouldn't do it: so | resigned.
have seen some races on snow-shoes,
but never saw any such contest on the
actual, unbeatcn snow. They always
take place on the ice, or on hard
track. l have often wondered why it
would not do just as well to tie half
pound weight to each mans foot, or
else call it an obstruction race to begin
with?
like to see man with a pair Of
snow-shoes on, getting over a fence.
He approaches it as one would long
lost friend, with arms outstretched and
face wreathed in smiles. He grasps the
top board or rail, as the case may be,
and elevates one of his beautiful Chi
cago flats to the second board or rail
from the bottom. Then he tucks his
snow-shoe as far in as he can, pulls
himself laboriously up and inserts c..
fiat number two. Now comes the tug
of-war-the grand pas dc fascination.
He is to get G. flat number one over the
top of the fence. He nerves himself,
sidles along little, disengages flat
number one, turns the toe in, Indian
fashion, executes grand upward
flourish, misses his aim! The unwicldy
snow-shOe comes back with rush,
snatches the man from the fence, catches
its tail in the snow, involves man, Chi
Cages number two, snow bank, portions
of fence. red mittens and several other
things in a grand melee of confusion,
and finally becomes the only prominent
feature of the landscape, sticking up
pathetically out of the snow. BY and
by hand comes up, u red mitten comes
off, there is frantic struggle with the
fastenings of the snOW-shoe, and at last
it drops of, and the victim rises from
his snowy couch, very red in the face,
very white in the garments, and very
blue in the surrounding atmosphere.
He then takes off the other snOw-shoe,
and climbs over the fence in civilized
manner. This is beautiful and very
effective scene, when properly carried
out.
But the snow-shoe is doubtless Of
prEctical value on experienced feet
Some men get so that they can walk
three or four miles day with these inn
plements, and | once saw hunter re-
turning from the woods, with no evil
dences on his person of having fallen
down, and carrying three rabbits in his
left hand. | approached TO get Il nearer
view of this prodigy, and discovered
that he had large tin-pan fastened to
each foot.-PdUL PaStnOr. in Puck.
A Baby Kings Party.
The King of Spain is going to give a
party. His Majesty has recently ac-
al, IS al L.. =,